Every new arrival wants to know if they can survive or live well in Thailand on X thousand baht a month?
It's a difficult question because each person has different needs. However, the following surveys and figures are from teachers actually working here! How much do they earn and what do they spend their money on?. And after each case study, I've added comments of my own.
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Jackie
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 50,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I teach at a hotel in Bangkok. The salary is 50,000 Baht per month. The pay slip shows more than that because the hotel pays and manages the taxes for me. My Thai partner (not a teacher) brings in about 22,000 per month. Many of our expenses are shared.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
Not much, as we are planning for our wedding and I’m paying back my US student loans (which are about 18,000 Baht per month). 2,500 Baht is put into my provident fund directly from my paycheck, and then we put aside another 3-5,000 Baht per month.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
We live in a slightly older one bedroom condo about 15-20 minute walk from the BTS. It takes a motorcycle taxi less than 5 minutes to get to the BTS. It has a gym and swimming pool and the membership for this is included in our rent. Our rent is 10,000 Baht per month.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
For me, I take a motorcycle taxi and the BTS to work every day. That adds up to about 1,500 Baht per month. My partner drives to work and he pays about 4,000 Baht per month for gas.We also have a car loan that we are paying on which is 7,600 Baht per month.
Utility bills
About 1,000 for the electricity, 700 for the Internet, 100 for the water, 450 each for our phones.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I usually take care of the food shopping for both of us and buy a lot of fruits and vegetables from a local market. During the week my lunches are provided at work, and I usually pick up market food on my way home from work for dinner. We eat in Western style restaurants about 2-3 times a month. All together about 6-8,000 Baht per month.
Nightlife and drinking
We usually go out every other weekend and spend 1,000 Baht per night for the both of us. I always like to have a bottle of wine in the fridge, so that’s another 1,000 or so per month. So, I would say about 3-4,000 Baht.
Books, computers
Books, computers : Internet is already factored into utilities.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Right now it is manageable, but it will be a whole lot better once these loans are paid off.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Taxi fares, massages, and the price of pineapple.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
If you do not have burdensome student loans, or any other kind of debt that you are paying back, I would say 35,000 Baht to get by and still have some occasional luxuries.
Phil's analysis and comment
I would never ever advise a person to come and teach in Thailand if they have student loans to pay off. I would probably tell someone to look for work in the better paying Asian countries such as Korea or Taiwan. 18,000 baht a month - the loan amount that Jackie is paying off - is a huge chunk of your salary disappearing every four weeks. However, if anyone can make things work, then I think Jackie can, because she sounds extremely sensible. She goes out on the weekend just a couple of times a month and she manages to keep those utility bills low. There is also 72,000 baht a month coming into the household. Take off Jackie's 18,000 baht loan and you're still left with 54,000 baht a month. A couple can manage on that amount of cash for a period of time but life will certainly get a whole lot better once that loan is paid off!
Jackie only spends about 8,000 baht a month on food and restaurant eating for two people. She achieves this relatively low figure by doing a lot of her shopping at the local market. This piqued my interest because I've become a regular face at my local market as well. I got sick and tired of paying the supermarket's inflated prices for fruit and vegetables and thought "enough! I'm going to go local". Many of the market sellers now know me by sight and we have a bit of banter and I genuinely enjoy the whole market experience. And you do save an awful lot of money compared to shopping at the supermarket.
Mike
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 54,000
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work for a language school in Bangkok. My salary is 50,000 a month and I make about 4,000 a month from a private student who I see weekly.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
Recently I've been saving almost nothing because I have had some major expenses come up, but realistically I could save 15-20 K if I tried.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I pay 6,800 a month for a nice, safe, and clean apartment in the Huay Kwang area. My condo is 42 square meters and has everything I need, although no fitness or swimming pool.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I take a motorbike to the MRT / BTS to work and back every day and that all comes to about 3,000 baht a month
Utility bills
About 1,300 baht. I don't use air conditioning because the electricity at my place is expensive. Most of the cost is from my hotplate and TV.
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I only eat out at an Isaan Restaurant or a Kao Dtom restaurant in my neighborhood on weekends. About 8,000 a month.
Nightlife and drinking
Usually drink 1 or 2 big bottles of Thai beer every night. Maybe go to a bar occasionally and drink some 65 Baht beers. All in all about 3,000 baht a month.
Books, computers
Nothing.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
I work a lot, but am able to support two people on that salary (including my girlfriend's college tuition), while still saving a decent amount of money and living in a spacious apartment in a pleasant area.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Food. I give my girlfriend 6,000 B per month and she buys and cooks all the food for us
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
If you are living in Bangkok on your own, then 35-40K should have you pretty comfortable as long as you spend reasonably. Like I said, on about 50K a month I completely support two people and am still able to have a good time and also save a decent amount of money each month.
Phil's analysis and comment
54,000 baht a month is a decent enough salary in Bangkok. Mike lives pretty much how I would live if I was earning the same amount. I like the way he's managed to find a nice apartment for just 8,000 baht a month (so it's only costing about 15% of his monthly take home) Shame that he feels he can't afford to turn on the air-conditioning though. There are months of the year when I just couldn't live without the a/c. But I also remember living in an apartment building that charged through the nose for 'leccy' and must have made a small fortune out of the tenants. I used to turn on the a/c for a couple of hours in the evening if I wanted to give myself a special treat.
Christopher
Working in Khorat
Monthly Earnings 30,000 baht
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I work for a renowned language school in Korat. My net income is about 30,000 baht per month. The pay is hourly (360 baht during the week, 480 at the weekend)
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
If I lived a more humble life, I could save at least 10,000 baht per month.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I share a serviced room with my girlfriend (who teaches with me) in a new condo block. The rent for a large ensuite room with all of the modcons is 12,000 baht per month. However, you can live in more modest rooms for less than 3,000 baht
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
500 baht
Utility bills
1,500 baht
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
5,000 baht
Nightlife and drinking
500 baht
Books, computers
N/A
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
Comfortable, with occasional luxuries such as weekend breaks, a nice gym membership and hotel buffets.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
In local eateries, a bowl of Som Tam costs just 30 baht. The songthaews charge only 8 baht for single fares in the city and 20 baht to places like the zoo, which is 15km from where I live.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
In Khorat, you can live comfortably on 20,000, especially once you have shelled out for your initial visas and permit. 50,000 baht per month would allow you regular splurges.
Phil's analysis and comment
I last taught at a private language school in the year 2000 and was getting 320 baht an hour. I'm not that surprised that thirteen years later, a teacher is earning just 10% more than that, but it goes to show how little teacher salaries have risen over the past decade or more. Tapping a few numbers into my calculator, I would guess Chris has to do in the region of 20 contact hours a week to make what is a 'modest' salary.
One of the downsides of teaching at a private language school is that because you are teaching different kinds of students at different levels, there is often a considerable amount of lesson prep. It's not like a government school, where maybe a teacher teaches the same groups at the same level each week and one lesson plan fits all. 20 contact hours a week at a private language school doesn't sound like a work overload but you have to factor in the time spent preparing lessons as well.
Then of course you have to bear in mind that private language schools are often at their busiest during the weekend, so you don't get those nice weekends off that other teachers enjoy.
Warren
Working in Chiang Mai
Monthly Earnings 6,000 baht
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
Somewhere between 6-10,000 baht a month. I 'help out' at a couple of private language schools and teach maybe two hours a day here and there. I'm a retired gentleman and see teaching purely as something to keep me busy.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
I don't save any of it. It's purely a bit of extra pocket money to pay for stuff like supermarket shopping.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
I bought a condo five years ago and it's about ten minutes drive from Chiang Mai city center. I paid 3 million baht for it and it's been a good investment I think.
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
I have my own car and motorcycle. Like many retirees up here, I use the bike for zipping about town and the car for longer journeys. I guess I spend around 1,500 baht a month on gas. Probably less than that most months.
Utility bills
I'm a real air-con fiend. I've got to have that air-con blasting all day and all night long. My electricity bill can be 5-6,000 baht some months. Water is cheapo though (350 baht)
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
I enjoy cooking at home and I love shopping at the markets, where I think the stuff is fresher than in the supermarkets (provided you go in the morning of course) I tend to eat out at somewhere 'posh' probably twice a week. I would say I spend about 10,000 baht a month on food, which is a lot for a single guy I think. But I love my food!
Nightlife and drinking
Almost nothing. I might go out once a month with friends to a few local pubs. That's about it.
Books, computers
I pay 650 baht per month for wi-fi and the connection is good. I tend to only download e-books from Amazon and in a good month, I might spend a couple of thousand baht. I enjoy reading but I don't browse around the second-hand bookshops anymore.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
It's very good. I knew it would be and that's why I made the decision to move here. I made my money in the UK building industry and I've moved to a place where the cost of living is much cheaper than in the UK. It costs me about 50-60,000 baht a month to have a comfortable life here, but of course my accommodation is paid for.
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Oh so many things but I would say the biggest surprise is when I carry back a big bag of fruit and vegetables from the market and it's cost me barely five pounds (250 baht)
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
I'm not sure I'm really qualified to answer the question from a teacher's point of view but I think you could live comfortably in Chiang Mai on about 30K a month. I wouldn't like to live on less than that but it's probably because I'm not as young as I used to be.
Phil's analysis and comment
In all the years we've been doing them, this is probably the first cost of living survey from a retiree - someone who is clearly teaching to keep themselves busy rather than out of necessity. Actually, guys like Warren are probably a private language schools dream. Smaller language schools might have a couple of hours of work several days a week, but not enough work available to guarantee a full-time schedule. So they pick up the phone to Warren and say "Hello Mr Warren, can you come in for a couple of hours tomorrow afternoon from two to four?" And Warren says "no problem, I'll be there". It doesn't matter whether they are paying 200, 300 or 500 baht an hour. It's just a retired gentleman keeping himself busy. What a lovely situation to be in? I bet teaching is so enjoyable under those circumstances LOL
Kris
Working in Bangkok
Monthly Earnings 110,000 baht
Q1. How much do you earn from teaching per month?
I earn 110,000 and my wife 75,000 after tax. Plus medical insurance and a flight home and a two month salary bonus every two years.
Q2. How much of that can you realistically save per month?
We normally manage to save my better half's salary.
Q3. How much do you pay for your accommodation and what do you live in exactly (house, apartment, condo)?
Accommodation comes with the job, but I would get an allowance of 55,000 baht a month if we moved out
Q4. What do you spend a month on the following things?
Transportation
N/A
Utility bills
Aircon 6,000, Water 600, Internet 699, Phone 899
Food - both restaurants and supermarket shopping
School food is good and cheap (and costs us about 500 baht a week) Having two kids, supermarket shopping can be expensive. I guess about 5,000 a week. We get a takeaway a least 3 times a week (750 baht) and eat out at least once (1,000 baht)
Nightlife and drinking
Cinema once a week 400 baht. I follow my local Thai football team but at 100 baht entrance and 35 baht a beer it doesn’t break the bank! Maybe another 2,500 a month for drinks with the boys and a brunch here and there
Books, computers
600 baht a month for Expat TV so I can watch UK tv without any hassles. 1000 a month on newspapers and magazines which are on Ipad subscription. Maybe 500 baht on kindle books.
Q5. How would you summarize your standard of living in one sentence?
With two kids under 5 and them getting free school places, then child care at this stage would be HUGE, so our standard of living is far higher here. We have a full time nanny/maid, which is the best 15,000 baht I spend a month. We don’t have to worry about cleaning or ironing or getting a baby sitter. Every holiday we go away by the beach and have seen lots of Thailand. We eat out a lot, and love a beer by the pool on a Friday afternoon thinking this is real life and not a holiday
Q6. What do you consider to be a real 'bargain' here?
Food, if you keep away from the big corporate places. Full time nanny instead of child care in the UK where our bill would be close to £1,500 a month. And despite the crazy driving, taxis.
Q7. In your opinion, how much money does anyone need to earn here in order to survive?
You could live much cheaper than we do, but life is for living to the full. For those with a family working in an International school, you can easily live on one salary of 100,000 baht. I wouldn't want to live on much less than that but you could.
Phil's analysis and comment
I think this is something of a 'cost of living' first, because it's possibly the first time we've had a true 'international school teacher' complete the survey. There's not a lot I can say really about Kris's figures. True international school teachers, often recruited directly from abroad, are on salary and benefits packages that locally hired teachers can only dream about. It's all there isn't it? Even with two kids to feed, a couple are always going to live well in Thailand on 185,000 baht a month, especially when you haven't got rent or school fees or the cost of flights home to worry about (they're all part of the benefits package)
It must be nice to come home in the evening to your 55,000 baht a month pad, say hello to the full-time nanny, enjoy a gin and tonic around the swimming pool and settle in for a couple of hours of UK TV. But that's the life you can enjoy here if you're qualified to work in the top international schools.
Showing 5 Cost of Living surveys out of 426 total
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